


Ten Ways to Say Goodbye

by nagia



Category: Batman: The Animated Series
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-20
Updated: 2007-12-20
Packaged: 2018-01-25 01:59:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,031
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1625588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nagia/pseuds/nagia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dick, Bruce, Barbara, and ten dysfunctional conversations.  No, batarangs should NOT count as greetings.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ten Ways to Say Goodbye

**Author's Note:**

> Written for maveness

 

 

Ten Ways to Say Goodbye

***

i. letter

Dick has left another "NightWing stuff" note. Bruce can see it in the way Barbara holds herself, in the way her eyes don't quite meet his. In the subtle hitch in her just-a-little-too-cheerful voice.

She can try, but she can't really hide anything from him.

Barbara pretends otherwise. And she's going to keep on pretending until he tips his hand, Tim tests his burgeoning deductive prowess and puzzles onto the situation, or she decides, for whatever reason, to tell him. For a moment, he wonders what would make her come clean. Then he stops. It's none of his business, really.

***

ii. voicemail

"Hello," he says after the tone, careful to keep his voice mild. Pamela Isley is watching and listening. He dares not slip into the gravely voice of the Batman. "I'm just calling to tell you and Barbara that I won't be able to make it to dinner tonight."

The phone returns to its cradle with a jarring sound.

"Thank you, Bruce," Ivy smirks, "a shame you're missing a family dinner, but we've much to discuss."

Wayne ends the conversation with Bat finality and Bruce charm. "Nonsense, Ms. Isley. I don't mind at all. The company is my responsibility, after all."

***

iii. gift

They have the family dinner the next week. Bruce explains--and that's a bit of a shock to Barbara and Dick, who remember a Batman who didn't bother to explain--why he couldn't make it the previous week.

"Ivy? Really?" Dick asks as he spoons pasta onto his plate.

Bruce confirms and then tells the story.

It is an evening filled with laughter. They cut it short. Bruce must patrol as Batman, Dick as Nightwing.

Before he leaves--out the front door, and that's a bit of a shock, too--he sets a small gift-wrapped box on the coffee table.

***

iv. post-it note

Alfred has allowed a post-it note to remain on the grandfather clock. Bruce is stunned, both at the out-of-character decision and at the fact that anybody dared leave a note on the grandfather clock.

It's from Barbara.

He reads it and scowls, determined to make sure she never does this again. What was she thinking? What if somebody who didn't know saw it?

The transformation of Bruce Wayne into Batman does not actually require putting on the costume. It is a density shift, a personality change.

As he rereads the note, he changes. Bruce Wayne is gone for the night.

***

v. expression

Batman is not happy. Years of training and personal experience inform Nightwing of this the instant Batman's feet touch the roof of the building.

"Did you suggest that Barbara leave her note where she did?"

Like Tic-Tac-Toe and nuclear war, the only way to win is not to play. He says nothing.

Even through the mask, he can see Batman's expression change. It shuts down even more.

And then he vanishes.

Nightwing immediately gives Batgirl a head's up on their radio. She can't read the Bat the way he can, and it sucks to be surprised by an angry Batman.

***

vi. touch

As soon as they're both home, she wraps her arms around him. Automatically, he hugs her back and she buries herself completely in his embrace.

Dick knows exactly what this sort of hug means. She's needed him tonight and he hasn't been there. It hurts to think about, so he tries not to.

Bruce must have gone off on her. The thought hurts on more than one level. There isn't much he can say to comfort her. She needs to learn to truly shrug off Bruce's psychotic moments. And that will take experiencing more of them.

It hurts to watch.

***

vii. batarang

Batgirl almost laughs.

The metal is cool under her fingers as she pulls the batarang out of the van's tire. It's close, too close, to the alley where she parked it.

Is this a hello or a goodbye? Is Batman in the area? Is he trying to give her a hint about the van? She tries to peer in the van's windows, but they are tinted. Too dark to see into.

She's really suspicious, now. What does this driver have to hide? Batgirl prowls around the van. When she finds the tiny bloodstain on the door, she contemplates thanking Batman.

***

viii. phone call

"I agree with him on this. You could have died, Babs."

Strained silence for several moments.

"Babs?"

"I thought you were confident in my experience."

"I am. But you still could have died. I wouldn't have approached without backup."

Her voice takes on an accusing tone. "You know you would have."

More silence.

"Don't try and deny it, Dick."

"I'm not trying to deny it. Hey, look at the time," he says, voice just a shade too bland, "I gotta go. Love you."

"Love you too." Her voice is every bit as mechanical as his.

"Bye."

"Bye," she echoes.

Click.

***

ix. downed criminal

It makes her angry. Batman is certain he's right and has distanced himself from the situation with all his usual self-righteousness. But Nightwing feels bad for the double standard.

So he's doing her favours. Not too many. Just the occasional crook, tied in amusing ways. It's more a joke and an apology more than anything else, she knows, but it still hurts.

She doesn't need these favours. She doesn't need him to sprint slightly ahead of her and beat people up for her.

It just twists the knife in deeper. She makes sure to beat him to the next one.

***

x. without warning

"You didn't have to, you know."

"I know," he says, sighing and sitting down.

Batman looks over at him. He remains silent, so Barbara and Dick resume their conversation.

"You could thank me, you know."

"It wasn't very Bat-family of you." She chances a look at Batman, but he's gone.

"You really could thank me. I was just trying to apologize."

She turns away from him. "Fine. Thank you, Dick, for your complete lack of faith in my abilities!"

There's no reply. How angry is he?

Like father, like son, Barbara laments as she turns to the suddenly empty corner.

***

END TRANSMISSION

 


End file.
